For those arduous days when only an old school, Madmen style gin or vodka martini will soothe the soul forget the pretentious martinis overwrought with pastel coloured umbrellas. Not only are they best shaken and not stirred, but served at the perfect temperature with minimum dilution and three olives or a lemon twist. Aficionadas swear that the only true martini is made with gin, but we’ll save that debate for another day. Here’s the beginning of what we are sure will be a growing and regular collection of Hong Kong’s best martini bars.
Argo Bar (formerly Blue Bar), Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong (8 Financial Street, Central) features a full spectrum of gins and vodkas supported by comfortable couches and sofas. Sweeping views of Victoria Harbour through expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and the outside balcony. Popular with the wealthy mainland Chinese set who adore the Four Seasons, luxury shopping mall and the Michelin rated restaurants. Its martinis are best served early in the evening before it becomes crowded.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House (88 Queensway, Lippo Centre, Admiralty). This is a steak house not a bar. But, drinking martinis before, during and after your broiled steaks will remind you of an age when that was the ideal and only drink for steak dinners. After the first two martinis you may forget about their vintage wines. This Ruth Chris outpost is rumoured to be owned by a Japanese tycoon who retained this same, original location since in the 1980s. No expense is spared; service and staff are friendly and knowledgeable. It’s a quiet, out of the way location in the middle of the city. The Sunday buffet is an expansive spread and also perfect for martinis if that suits your style.
Chinnery Bar (Mandarin Hotel, 5 Connaught Road, Central). Before western restaurants and bars were commonplace in Hong Kong, the Mandarin was one of the few establishments where you could enjoy gourmet cuisine and a faultless martini. It was the centre of Hong Kong high society. The Chinnery Bar hasn’t altered its décor and ambience at all- classic Hong Kong straight out of the James Clavell novel “Nobel House”. In those days expect to see old China hands and ship owners drinking next to local tycoons. Chinnery Bar is matched in history and atmosphere with its sister bar downstairs, Captain’s Bar, which remains an international crossroads like Rick’s in Casablanca. Expect to bump into someone from your past life passing through Hong Kong. Home of the infamous X women: Ex-wife, ex-model, and ex-stewardess (from “back in the day”).
B.A.R. Executive Bar (27th floor, Bartlock Centre, 3 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay). Tucked inside a non-descript office building on a high floor overlooking the Happy Valley racecourse, the Executive Bar has built a stellar reputation as a not so well-kept secret among cocktail, scotch and Japanese whiskey lovers. Ichiro-san is the owner-operator (a rare breed these days) who is the only bartender serving an intimate, dark paneled establishment that follows the Japanese tradition of a tiny Tokyo bar. Japanese executives would finish their workday by enjoying a few, handcrafted drinks before riding the bullet train back to the suburbs. His gin and vodka martinis are among the best in the world- no detail in their concoction is ignored. From the unusual way he convulses the shaker to minimize ice breakage and maintain perfect chilling to meticulously carved ice blocks and specially treated water, it is meticulously executed. And his martinis are traditionally served with chilled vermouth on the side. Executive is an old school bar- no sports or videos on a flatscreen, no karaoke, and no dice games. Just focus on enjoying perfect drinks and thinking about your next conquest.
COA (Sho A, Lower Ground Floor, Wah Shin House, 6-10 Shin Hing Street, Central) was founded by cocktail bar veteran Jak Khan. It was named best bar in Asia in 2021 and 2022 and ranked number seven in the world’s best 50 bars in 2022. COA’s 41-page agave menu is a testament to its cultivated curation of agave spirits. Feature cocktails like La Paloma de Oaxaca and the Ancho Highball represent two of their top drinks- special drinks are introduced weekly. But, a bar with such a high rating will surprise you with a stiff martini if you need a break from tequila and traditional mezcal.
Ozone Bar at the Ritz Carlton Hotel (Level 118, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon). We normally don’t recommend bars simply because they are situated on a rooftop. But, there is nothing like sipping a perfectly mixed martini seated at the highest rooftop bar in the world- at an impressive altitude of 480 meters (about 1574.8 ft). You can’t help but notice that your view towers about the highest buildings that surround you. And on some days, you look down at the clouds. An extensive menu of appetizers only encourages you to order another round of martinis while admiring the endless horizon.